HER || 18+ (Monsters #2) || Sequel to THEM

56 - Second Option

. . .

Xerxes Creed

I took my suit jacket off as I entered my office and draped it on my chair. I folded up the sleeves of my shirt and watched the screen of my laptop.

"We are very sorry," the man was saying. "There have never been any cameras in our club. We do not know how it happened."

"There is a video," I said slowly, as I sat down. "Of my brother. A video which holds the potential of causing a lot of problems for him."

"I-I understand, sir. But we didn't know about the camera. As I said, there are never any cameras in the club. No electronics are allowed, ever."

"Yet, there is a video. Maybe, there are more."

The man was sweating now, his face was all red and I could see him shaking with apparent fear.

"I'm burning your club to the ground," I said, calmly. "You have fifteen minutes to evacuate."

"W-what-"

"Fifteen minutes," I repeated and then ended the call.

I watched the blank screen for a while. Half of me wanted to kill him, but he may prove to be useful in the future.

The door opened as Ashton entered, a book was in his hand with a bright pink bookmark jutting out of it. It was probably one of Olivia's. She liked sharing bookmarks with him. "I could have handled him," he said.

"I never liked him," I said. "We should have bought the club as Zavier wanted."

"If Zavier could, he'd buy the world."

There was no denying that.

"Where is she?" I asked.

"Talking to Daisy. Daisy is trying to convince her to participate in the exhibit."

"That exhibit would provide exposure," I muttered. "Put more eyes on her art."

"And on her."

There was always that. Olivia was, sometimes frustratingly, unaware of how alluring she could be. Eyes followed her everywhere. She thought it was because of her, but more than half of the time, it wasn't.

The door opened again and this time it was Olivia who marched in before Zavier, who was carrying three giant,  canvasses in his hands.

He set them down on the table.

"You will help me choose," she said to us, putting her hands on her thin waist. She was dressed in a pink dress that reached her knees. I could see the outline of her nipples through the thin fabric. I shoved the decider to touch her away and focused on what she was saying. "I think all of them are one of my best works."

"Okay," I said, ready to grab one of uncovering it but she shook her head instantly.

"I will open them."

"You can barely pick them," Zavier said dryly.

"I can pick them. You shoved me out of the way so that I wouldn't."

"You're not picking heavy shit on my watch."

She got on the tip of her toes and kissed his cheek. "You're cute when you're grumpy."

"You must think Xerxes is fucking adorable then."

"He is adorable."

I frowned. "Not the word I've heard people using for me."

"They don't know you," she said to me as she opened one cover. "They should see your grumbling."

"Did you get your daily spanking, yet?"